Allan, in front, does the show while Kent Wilson (note the glorious mustache) and henchmen watch

It's the labour day long weekend! While most everyone was out enjoying the long weekend, drinking a beer or watching the kids run around for the last, few, short hours before school starts again, Allan Mitchell was hunched over a desk, calling people enjoying the break, and demanding they talk to him about hockey. A surprisingly large group of helpful experts not only answered the phone but also answered his questions - and here we are.

Allan's first guest is the Nation Network's newest writer: Gus Katsaros. Gus has spent the better part of the last decade with the venerable McKeen's Hockey and is now contributing at Leafs Nation. They discuss his latest work, a pair of intriguing yet also disappointing prospects in Nazem Kadri and Magnus Paajarvi, and a ton of other stuff.

Zach Bogosian had surgery on his wrist earlier this week, and is now going to be on the shelf for the next four to six months. Jets Nation's Robert Cleave joins Allan to talk about Bogosian and hockey in Winnipeg.

And there's the show in it's glorious, unabridged entirety, for everyone's long weekend enjoyment.

Finally, a brief note for prospective advertisers: we're all about commitment. It's why Allan slaves away during the last long weekend of summer. If you're interested in promoting your business on the show, we will advertise, ADVERTISE, ADVERTISE!!! and not stop until you are completely satisfied. Please contact kent.wilson@gmail.com for full details.

Enjoy the long weekend, everyone!

NationRadio can be heard live on Saturdays from 12-2 PM on the Team 1260 featuring the explicit sounds of DJ Lowetide and his lineup of Allstar guests.Follow us on Twitter: @itsnationradio

Hey Lowetide, just listened your talk comparing our top 4 (Yakupov, Nugent-Hopkins, Hall and Eberle) to that of Pittsburgh's top 4. In regards to the amount of cash each respective team has tied into them, it's just not the same.

The issue is is that the Oilers top 4 are all forwards where as someone like Pittsburgh has their money spread around in different postions. Top 4 with Pittsburgh are 2 centres, a goaltender and a defenseman. Malkin, Crosby, Fleury and Letang. That is not the case here in Edmonton.

The Oilers will need to have money tied up with a goaltender and defensemen if there is any hope of capturing greatness. Trying to keep our top 4 forwards along with acquiring legitimate help in net and on the back end makes it all that much more difficult. Pittsburgh is in a finer postion as they have more balance with their cash (letting Staal go just made that even more true).

I see the Oilers having some difficulty trying to balance out there roster if they do indeed decide to keep all 4 star forwards long term. Hopefully our window of opportunity comes within the next 2-3 years while some of these guys are still on their entry level contract (Yakupov, RNH, Schultz).

I get your point. Although Kunitz I wouldn't consider a star player and his cap hit is 3.75 million. By the time RNH and Yakupov require new contracts their market value will likely be around 8 million a year - hope for a discount of the 6 million range but no guarantee.

I can't think of a comparable team in the league right now. There isn't a team that has 4 superstar forwards right now, which doesn't bold well for the Oilers is all I was pointing out. Not to mention the Oilers tend to pay mediocre players star wages (Horcoff, Hemsky).

It's possible to retain these players only if Tambellini/Lowe become more careful to which players he is willing to commit to. Anymore Horcoff, Hemsky, Khabibulin like contracts and this team will continue to spin wheels and lose key their key pieces.

Raine: We don't know the cap, so speaking in certainties (I'm sure you agree) is impossible. That said, Chicago has SIX contracts of $5.5M or more and if the could find a goalie (man they're having a time) could win another Stanley.

It's hilarious that people are so worried about the oilers future cap situation. Almost all of top teams have 24+ million in there top 4 contracts yet we are somehow in trouble.

Lack of things to talk about will do that to a person.

I find most fans, including myself, are more concerned about having that kind of money tied up into too much of the same thing. They may very well do just fine keeping all those kids and Hemsky, but point I am trying to make is you need to round out the roster.

This wasn't a worry of CAN you keep them, this is a debate of SHOULD they keep them. I have no worries of fitting this team under the cap as is, I am worried of not being able to fit in a legitimate top 6 player with size along with this group, a legitimate star defenceman and a legitimate goaltender.

Personally I just don't see any team being overly successful with 5 talented players who are all easily pushed around.

I find most fans, including myself, are more concerned about having that kind of money tied up into too much of the same thing. They may very well do just fine keeping all those kids and Hemsky, but point I am trying to make is you need to round out the roster.

This wasn't a worry of CAN you keep them, this is a debate of SHOULD they keep them. I have no worries of fitting this team under the cap as is, I am worried of not being able to fit in a legitimate top 6 player with size along with this group, a legitimate star defenceman and a legitimate goaltender.

Personally I just don't see any team being overly successful with 5 talented players who are all easily pushed around.

Looking at rosters like the Bruins/Hawks/Pens and Detroit (pre collapse of there defense) shows their is lots of room to add 5+ million dollar Dman... I personally I don't think you need much more then a 3.5 million starter and a million dollar back up.

All that said, we've got 3 full seasons until Yak needs to get paid... A pile of things are going to change between then and now.

Also, our best chance to win a cup is probably 2 years from now when we'll likely have 5 first line talents for 24 million.... Which makes tambillinis snails pace to building a supporting cast extra frustrating.

If you are talking about a lot of money, I don't know if this is necessary. Certainly not the case for Detroit as they proportion their salary cap differently than many other NHL clubs and aren't necessarily looking for goaltender stars.

Pittsburgh has 2 centres as half their top salaried players. This is more plausable.

What doesn't make sense to me is Hemsky worth $5 per year on a two year contract. We won't talk about Horcoff and Khabibulin and their sorry contracts.

If you are talking about a lot of money, I don't know if this is necessary. Certainly not the case for Detroit as they proportion their salary cap differently than many other NHL clubs and aren't necessarily looking for goaltender stars.

Pittsburgh has 2 centres as half their top salaried players. This is more plausable.

What doesn't make sense to me is Hemsky worth $5 per year on a two year contract. We won't talk about Horcoff and Khabibulin and their sorry contracts.

Teams with average goaltending had outstanding defence and a crop of forwards that were more than willing to play a two way role.

It's easier said in a blog rather than going back in forth in comments.

Great show LT. Lots of good stuff, especially Spec's interview with Tamby. The ST quote that jumped out to me was that the Hall and Eberle deals ''fit with our salary grid as we progress forward.''
This indicates to me that Oil management has a fairly concrete cap management plan and have roughly allotted enough money to keep the inner core (fab 4) and outer core (Dubnyk, Smid, Petry, Whitney, J Schultz, Klefbom, Gagner (?) MP) together with enough left to for a solid bottom 7, D depth and back up G, with likely some trades anticipated.
Of course the best laid plans can go astray, especially where injuries and an unpredictable cap are concerned.
What matters is the management team has a solid plan.

I'd say this is the first year in a long time in which I as a Flames fan am genuinely worried about Calgary's chances versus the Oil. By the end of the season last year Edmonton was controlling play against the Flames to a non-trivial degree and I expect them to be better this year.